Informal Email Structure

Informal email’s structure
From: sender’s email (the email address of the person who sends the email (if the task
instructions do not specify the sender’s email address, the student will have to make one up, not
use his/her real one).
To: recipient’s email
Subject: what the email is about (3 to 5 words)
A. GREETING: the greeting formula agrees with the type of relationship between the sender
and the recipient.
B. OPENING: we react to the recipient’s previous email and we ask him/ her how it is going and
any other question, if necessary.
C. BODY: establishes the aim(s) and details of the communication between the sender and the
recipient.
1. establishes and details the content of the communication with the recipient (i.e., it
accomplishes the communication goals indicated in the task instructions).
D. CLOSING: appropriately ends the communication with the recipient.

2. a line or two
• to indicate (why) communication is ended at that point (e.g., “I’ve to leave you now, my
parents are waiting for me.”)
• to send greetings and/or make reference for future contact (e.g., “Don’t forget to let me
know the date of the party!”)
3. a closing phrase “to say goodbye” appropriately (e.g., “Take care” or “Best wishes”).
E. SIGNING OFF: the sender includes his/her name where it corresponds and in an appropriate
format (e.g., “Jane”, not “Jane Smith”)
How to write informal emails
๏ An informal email is usually between people who know each other fairly well.
๏ In these emails we often give news, request information, congratulate people, give advice and ask
questions.
๏ There are a lot of similarities between informal emails and conversation.
๏ Informal emails ask a lot of questions, show interest and enthusiasm, and imagine a lot of shared
information.
In many exam questions, you will be told what to include in your reply. Make sure
that your reply answers any questions that you were asked in the task and take
into account any additional information that you have been told to mention. It is
important that you include these in order to get a good grade.
1. Salutation or Greeting
๏ Dear + name,
๏ Hi (and the person's name),
๏ Hello John,
Hi is less formal than Hello or Dear. Don’t forget to add a comma after them. After the greeting, you
may start a new line.
2. Opening: when writing an informal email, you are usually replying to another email.
๏ Useful phrases for the opening:
1) Reacting to a previous email:
- It’s nice/ great/ good to hear from you.
- I’m glad to hear your news.
- It’s great to hear that…
- I’m really sorry to hear that…
2) Ask how he/she is:

- Hope you are doing well.
- How’s it going?
- How are you (doing)?
- How are things (going)?
-
3) Indicate the reason for replying to the recipient’s previous email:
I am writing because…
The reason I am writing is…
3. Body: it includes the details of the content of the communication with the recipient (accomplishes the
communication goals indicated in the task instructions). Use connectors.
4. Closing: the end of your letter is as important as the beginning. There are some standard ways of
finishing an informal email. You may include a line or two saying why the communication is ended.
๏ Give a reason why you're ending the letter: Anyway, I must go and get on with my work! / I guess
it's time I got on with that studying I've been avoiding/ I have to leave now, my parents are waiting
for me/ Anyway, gotta go/ Well, it’s time to say goodbye.
๏ Send greetings and/or make reference for future contact:
- Give my love / regards to... / Say hello to... /
- We must try and meet up soon. / I can't wait to hear from you / Look forward to seeing you
again / Hope to hear from you soon / See you soon / Write soon/ Make sure you write back
soon.
๏ Closing statements such as Love, Lots of love, All the best, Take care, Best wishes, kisses and endless
hugs should be written on a new line. If you used a comma after the opening greeting, use a comma
here too.
๏ Signing off: Your first name then follows on another new line (if the task instructions do not specify
the sender’s name, the student will have to make one up, not use her/his real one).
4. Other things to consider

๏ Range: It is important that you use grammatical expressions and vocabulary appropriate to
the level of the exam. Even if there are no mistakes in your writing, you will not be able to
get a good grade if you use only the language and vocabulary that you learnt at elementary
level. Even in informal writing, there is a good range of language you can use (conditional
sentences, a range of perfect and continuous tenses, indirect questions...)
๏ Informal language, including phrasal verbs, informal vocabulary, question tags, phrasal
verbs, exclamations, etc.
๏ Simpler sentence structure: I’ll be late for the party. It’s because of my French exam.
๏ Connectors: All good writing makes good use of connectors. However, many of the
connectors you have learnt for other styles of writing are inappropriate in an informal letter
or email. For informal writing, you need to use some of the connectors that are more
specific to spoken language.
✓ To introduce a topic: Well, you'll never guess who I bumped into yesterday. / I know
how much you love tennis, so I've got us some tickets to Wimbledon. / By the way (por
cierto), did you know that John's got a new job?
✓ To go back to a previous topic: Anyway (de todos modos, en cualquier caso), as I was
saying earlier, I really wasn't very happy there. / Now where was I? Oh yes, I nearly
forgot, Mary asked me tell you about the cinema.
✓ To introduce surprising or bad news: Actually, he came to the party after all. / I'm really
sorry but I can't make it. / To tell you the truth, I don't really like sports much.
✓ To summarise what you've already said: Anyway, we had a really nice time in the end.
/ Well, to cut a long story short (resumiendo), we didn't get there on time.
✓ To change the topic: As for/ Regarding why I like this cookery show, I think it’s because
it’s a great way to see new recipes.
EXAMPLE:
Writing task: an English friend of yours is visiting your city next summer. Write to him and tell
him the places he should visit and the clothes he should wear. You must also invite him to stay
with you during his stay.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: a visit to Spain.
Dear Jack, (greeting)
Thank you for your email. It was good to hear from you (Referring to the recipient’s previous
email). How are you doing? Let me give you some tips.
First of all, there some places you can’t miss! Here in Granada you should visit the Alhambra, an
ancient Muslim palace. Also, don’t forget to check out St Nicholas viewpoint- you’ll have the
best views of the Alhambra and the whole city.
As for clothes, forget about sleeves or trousers and just pack some shorts, T-shirts and sandals,
Oh, and remember to bring a cap, too.
By the way, do you have a place to stay? I have a spare room, so I could put you up (alojar) in
my place.
Anyway, I must leave now, I have to study for an exam (Why the communication is ending).
Write me soon and let me know what you think (making reference for future contact).
Best wishes, (closing phrase)
Paul. (signing off)

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Informal email’s structure

To: recipient’s email

Subject: what the email is about (3 to 5 words)

D. CLOSING: appropriately ends the communication with the recipient.

2) Ask how he/she is:

4. Other things to consider

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